Cassandra Gibson and the Order of the Pheonix
by Myrtle
Summary: Five years before, Cassandra Gibson was expelled from Hogwarts. Now she has returned to the wizarding world to join the Order of the Pheonix, alongside the Marauders, Mundungus Fletcher, Arabella Figg, and Dumbledore CHAPTER 5 IS UP, PLEASE READ & REVIEW!
1. Chapter One

Cassandra glanced around the cave, and smiled. It looked pretty good. She'd been living there for five years, and when she had arrived, she had nothing. Now it was furnished with a sofa, a table and chair, a bookcase, filled with books, both wizarding and muggle, and she'd even managed to get hold of a wizarding wireless. It was hard being an outcast of the wizarding world, having nobody of her own kind to talk to, but what could she do? After being expelled from Hogwarts, no other school would take her. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "I'm never going to want to join the ministry!" The sixteen-year-old girl shouted. "I've said a million times that I don't want to."  
  
"So what do you plan to do with your life. You get good enough marks, so you'd be great in the ministry-look at me!"  
  
"No way do I want to be stuck in a boring office, doing absolutely nothing, like you. I want to.. I want to be an Auror."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous! Girls can't be aurors!"  
  
"It's up to me, what I want to do." She yelled. Her stepfather sighed. Then he tried to speak more patiently to her.  
  
"I'm not sure if they accept women to be aurors, and your mother and I wouldn't want you doing a dangerous job like that, anyway. You could be killed or-  
  
"SHUT UP!" Cassie screamed at him. "You don't care about that. You don't care about me. I'm just a.an inconvenience to you. And you can't tell me what to do because you're NOT MY DAD!" Her step-dad said nothing, but his face gradually turned red, and his eyes looked as if they were going to pop out of his head at any minute. He pointed his wand at Cassie, shouted  
  
"Expelliarmus" and her wand flew out of her hand. Cassandra's mum came into the room, and saw what was happening. She gasped, horrified, and then tried to take her husband's wand from him. She didn't get it, but she caught Cassie's wand, and threw it to Cassie who caught it, just as her step-dad started to move towards her. Without thinking, she shouted 'Stupefy', and he fell to the floor, unconscious.  
  
"I'm sorry mum." Cassandra said. I didn't mean to. well, I suppose I did actually, but I didn't think."  
  
"I know."  
  
At that moment an owl flew through the window, with a letter:  
  
Dear Miss Gibson, We have received intelligence that a Stunning Curse was used at you place of residence, this evening at twenty-three minutes past eight. As you will be aware, underage witches are not permitted to use magic outside of school. You will almost certainly expelled for this. Please come to a meeting tomorrow morning, at 10 am, at the Improper Use of Magic offices with your parents/guardians, to discuss said expulsion. Yours sincerely, Mafalda Hopkirk Improper Use of Magic Office Ministry of Magic.  
  
Cassie passed the letter to her mother, and sank into an armchair, dazed and confused.  
  
"Expelled?" exclaimed her mother, "They can't expel you! You're one of the top Griffindor students in your year. They wouldn't, not from Hogwarts. They can't expel you!"  
  
"I really don't want to expel you Miss Gibson." said Dumbledore gravely.  
  
"But she's already in trouble for cursing Severus Snape last term." Interrupted Nathaniel Malfoy, head of Slytherin house.  
  
"It's a disgrace. Can you imagine what this will do to my reputation!?" said Cassie's step-father. "At least she isn't my daughter. I'd be so ashamed-"  
  
"It is the law." said a Ministry of Magic official.  
  
"Yes." agreed Mafalda Hopkirk. "She has to be expelled."  
  
"Definitely."  
  
"NO!" shouted Cassie, shaking her head violently. Her coppery brown coloured hair completely covered her face, as she rested her head on her hands, and started to cry.  
  
"I can't believe you let that happen. Expelled! Everyone will be talking about us behind our backs. If you were my daughter I'd."  
  
"Well, you might not understand this, but I didn't want to get expelled. I loved being at Hogwarts, just to get away from you in term time. You've already said that no other school will want to take me, so I'm not putting up with you anymore!" She snatched up the two halves of her broken wand, from the table, and ran out the door, clutching them tightly in her fist. She had some money in her pocket. She could cope. She didn't need them. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Cassie yawned. It was late. She was just about to switch off the Wizarding Wireless, when she heard something which caught her attention.  
  
"Another attack by the Dark Wizard, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has been reported. It seems that at least three muggles were killed in their home in Nottinghamshire. A group has been set up, against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Any other volunteers are welcome, contact Albus Dumbledore."  
  
For some reason, she didn't feel tired any more. She grabbed a pink gel pen (a great muggle thing she had discovered, much more practical than a quill and ink pot!) and paper, and started to write a letter.  
  
'Dear Professor Dumbledore, I have heard on the Wizarding Wireless, that you are organising a group against Voldemort' -'  
  
She crossed that out. She had always said 'Voldemort' when she was at Hogwarts, and some of the other students had got frightened. Her group of friends normally said the name, but most people said 'You-Know-Who', 'The Dark Lord', or 'He-who-must-not-be-named'. OK..  
  
'-He-who-must-not-be-named. I would like to volunteer to join you. I have no experience as an auror, and have not completed my magical training, but I always wanted to be an auror. I know I am not likely to be very popular with anyone in the wizarding world. Last time I knew any of you I was only a student, and so was to young for anyone to pay much attention to me. Then I lost any respect people may have given me, when I left. However, I'm sure I can help you.  
  
Yours sincerely, Cassandra Gibson.  
  
  
  
  
  
She sent the letter off with her owl. Luckily her owl had flown after her when she left, and had found her in the cave, so she didn't have to leave him behind.  
  
The next day her owl returned with a letter, not a scrap of paper, rolled up like the one she had sent, but a letter in a thick parchment envelope.  
  
Dear Cassandra, It is very good to hear from you. Nobody has heard any news of you for five years. As for you joining the group, the Order of the Phoenix, it is called, I will have to discuss it with you further. Could you please come to Hogwarts for a meeting. The stone is a portkey, and will activate at a quarter-past-ten tomorrow morning. The Order meets at eleven o'clock, so I thought we should have a discussion first.  
  
Professor Albus Dumbledore Order of Merlin, First Class. International Confed. of Warlocks, Supreme Mugwump etc.  
  
Cassie tipped the envelope upside down, and a small round pebble fell onto the table. 


	2. Chapter Two

At ten-past-ten the next morning, Cassandra was clutching the stone. She wasn't going to take a chance of missing it. She kept looking at the clock on the wall. Three minutes to go. Two minutes to go. One minute to go. Thirty seconds to go. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.WHOAAAAARRRGGGHH!!! She yelled, which didn't actually have any significant meaning, and when she appeared in front of a couple of young Hogwarts students who must have stayed for the Easter holidays, they looked at her as if she was a) mental, and b) talking a foreign language. Which she wasn't, she was just speaking total gibberish. She walked to the entrance of the castle, and Dumbledore was waiting in the entrance hall. They walked to his office, in silence. When they got their, Dumbledore sat down opposite her, at his desk. {}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{{{{}{}{}{} {}{}}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}}}}}}}}{{{{{{{}}{{}{ 45 MINUTES LATER  
  
"So you see, I always wanted to be an auror, and I didn't do anything really bad to get expelled. I mean, he was pointing his wand, at me, so what was I supposed to do? And you said yourself that you didn't want to expel me. I know I've missed a lot of my training, but I could catch up."  
  
"Everyone was really worried when you ran away." said Dumbledore gravely. "They kept looking for you for a long time, but in the end they had to give up. The Ministry gave up, and basically, as far as they're concerned, officially, you do not even exist."  
  
"What do you mean..I don't exist?"  
  
"Just that. They don't have any records of you, any more."  
  
"That is really weird. So do people think I'm dead. I mean, if I wanted to send an owl to one of my old school friends now, they wouldn't be totally freaked out by it, would they?"  
  
"Not much was said about it at Hogwarts. Everyone knew you were expelled, and that was it."  
  
"OK. But can I join this.Order if the Phoenix?"  
  
"I think you will be a highly valuable, and useful member." he smiled. "Now it's time to go in. The others are here." * "I have found one new person to join the Order." Dumbledore announced. "This is Cassandra Gibson-"  
  
He would have carried on talking, if it wasn't for, "OH MY GOD!!!" gasped Sirius Black. James Potter just stared at her, while Remus Lupin looked very surprised, but pleased. A couple who were a year or so older looked confused, with expressions of vague recognition on their faces. Everyone else just looked blank.  
  
"Ah yes. I think you know these three troublemakers." Dumbledore smiled. "And these are Jenny and Robert Bones," he nodded in the direction of the couple who Cassie remembered from Hogwarts, who had been a couple of years above her. "Simon and Joanna Prewitt, Mundungus Fletcher, Tom and Kristen McKinnon, and Arabella Figg."  
  
Twenty minutes later when they had agreed that there was nothing they could do, until they knew more about Voldemort and his plans. They had to find out as much as possible. Everyone had discussed what they had heard, though most of it was just rumour. Cassie felt quite left out at this point, because she had only heard what had been announced on the WWN (Wizard Wireless Network).  
  
Afterwards, the older members of the Order of the Phoenix went home, but Sirius, James and Remus stayed around for a while to talk to Cassie.  
  
"What happened after you were expelled? Why were you expelled?" Sirius and James attacked Cassie with questions.  
  
"It's a very long story." she began to say.  
  
"-Which you're going to tell us!" said James with a smile. Oh, that smile. Back at Hogwarts, half the girls in the school had claimed to be 'in love' with him, and his smile. He had been going out with Lily Evans, right back from when they were in their 5th year, and now he had married her.  
  
"Maybe one day." she replied, quietly, but firmly. She felt so much older than Sirius and James, these days. Remus was different. He seemed as though he had been through a lot as well, though he had always been like that. He wasn't miserable or anything, he was always joining in with Sirius and James's jokes, but he seemed to be sad and lonely, even when he was laughing with his friends  
  
"Where do you live?" That was something she hadn't thought of. She was a long way away from the cave where she had been staying, and she couldn't apparate.  
  
"I'm not sure. I mean, I've been living quite a long way away from here, and I won't be able to get an apparating license."  
  
"Why not?" asked Sirius.  
  
"She isn't allowed to do magic any more. They will have snapped her wand in half." said James promptly.  
  
"I think that's terrible." said Remus, thoughtfully. "I mean, a wands sort of special, I remember when I bought my wand..."  
  
He was interrupted by James, saying "I can think of worse things they could break." (Yep, it's the gutter minded Slytherin, wand thing again!) Sirius spluttered with laughter. "SIRIUS!!! I didn't mean THAT!" yelled James, attempting to suppress his own smile. "I meant things like, er..broomsticks!" he said quickly.  
  
"Not everyone takes quidditch as seriously as you, Mr Potter." interrupted Dumbledore from behind the office door.  
  
"Er.right." mumbled Sirius realising that Dumbledore had overheard their whole conversation. "I think I have to go now."  
  
"Yeah, me too." added James. "See you, Cassie. Are you coming Remus?"  
  
"No.I need to talk to Cassandra." Remus replied, with a 'don't-say-anything- 'cause-you-know-what-I-mean' expression on his face.  
  
"Oh, of course." James nodded, and smiled sympathetically. "See you, Moony."  
  
"What's that about..Moony?" asked Cassie curiously. And Moony was a very odd nickname.  
  
"Ah," said Remus awkwardly. "The nickname. Well that's something to do with what I wanted to talk to you about."  
  
"Okaaaaaay.." said Cassie, even more confused than before.  
  
"The rest of the Order know already." He hesitated, then breathed in. "I'm a werewolf." he said, and quickly looked away, avoiding eye contact. She said nothing at first, so he spoke again. "I understand, that you won't want to talk to me now, but we have to work as a team-"  
  
"Fine" she said, but Remus continued.  
  
"Of course most people wouldn't even go anywhere near someone like me, but- "  
  
"I said it's fine." she smiled, as he looked up. "I don't have a problem with you being a werewolf.  
  
At first she had been shocked, and quite scared, but now she heard him practically apologising just for existing, because he was a werewolf, she just felt sorry for him.  
  
"You don't mind?" he asked, smiling. "Of course, the rest of the Order understood, I was just worried that you wouldn't. Most people would hate me if they knew." He shrugged, trying to look as if it didn't bother him, but she could see in his eyes that it hurt him to know how other people saw him.  
  
"When did this happen?" she said. "I mean, when were you bitten?"  
  
"Fourteen years ago. I was seven."  
  
"When you were seven? But that would mean you were a werewolf, at Hogwarts, when I knew you before-"  
  
"Yes. I was. Does that surprise you so much?"  
  
Cassandra thought about it for a moment. She remembered the quiet boy, at the start of him first year, sitting at the feast at the start of their first term. He had seemed different to the others, now she thought about it. A little pale, and tired, and there was something about his eyes, which made him look as if they had been cut out from a photo of someone much older, and super-imposed upon the boy's face.  
  
"Nnn-yes." she said confused. What kind of a question was that? Of course she was surprised. She'd just found out that someone she knew for years was a werewolf. What did he expect her to say? "Did anyone know about.you, at Hogwarts?"  
  
"Well, the teachers did of course." He paused, reading the expression on her face perfectly. "Yeah, that Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher in out fourth year. Hated me, I think she was obsessed with the idea that all Dark Creatures are 100% evil. That's why she set so much work on werewolves, mostly about how to kill werewolves. I think she hoped I'd take a hint and do myself in."  
  
Cassie laughed, but quickly stopped herself. Somehow she thought it wasn't right, I mean, this was serious. She couldn't laugh as she realised how Remus must have felt at the time, having to learn about himself in detail, and dreading that the whole school would find out what he was, with all their knowledge on the subject.  
  
"And Sirius, James and Peter Pettigrew knew. They found out near the end of the 1st year. I thought they would hate me, but they didn't. Now I know that more people are OK about it, that I had thought. Well, Peter is always a little scared around me, but I don't see him so much these days. Sirius and James were great about it though. As I remember, Sirius' reaction was 'Cool! Can you bite Snape for us." Cassie smiled, but Remus still looked deadly serious. "Of course, under no circumstances would I do that. Even to Snape. I wouldn't want anyone else to suffer this, even Snape."  
  
Cassie felt tears welling up in her eyes, and was embarrassed. She didn't want him to see how sorry for him she felt. People didn't like to be pitied. Hastily she swept past him, and out of the room.  
  
"See you. I have to talk to Dumbledore now." she said awkwardly, as she left him.  
  
"Right, now obviously the Ministry want to know what we're doing. We have a meeting later today with the Minister for Magic, and some other important Ministry officials." announced Dumbledore. "Um, Cassandra, I think it would be best if you don't go. You will be in trouble if they find you're using magic, and are here. I'm sure we'd be able to sort something out, if anyone finds out, but I'd rather not have to go into all that hassle until absolutely necessary." he paused, and Cassie nodded. "Also, Remus, it might not make a good impression if they know you're one of the Order. They do keep records, and if they check up, they might get hold of the Werewolf Registry, and that could cause trouble as well." Remus nodded and looked down at the floor.  
  
"What do you mean?" exclaimed Cassie, standing up. "Are you saying that you're ashamed of him being part of the Order, because he's a werewolf. I think that's appalling, and sick and.."  
  
"Cassie." whispered Remus. "It's OK. It isn't like that. It's the Ministry that's prejudiced, not Dumbledore."  
  
"Right." said Dumbledore, pretending not to hear their conversation. We have to go now. If you two wait here, we can tell you what happened, as soon as we get back. Goodbye."  
  
The other members of the Order of the Phoenix filed out of the room, leaving Cassie and Remus alone together.  
  
"How can you let people dictate your life for you, like you're just a little pet dog or something? They should respect you as a person and. I'm sorry, that was a really stupid metaphor." She frowned.  
  
"Simile, actually." Cassie looked blank. "It was a simile, not a metaphor." She smiled, apologetically. "And yes, it was a bloody stupid and tactless thing to say." he continued. "It's OK, Cassie," he paused. "That's all I seem to say around you, 'It's OK'!"  
  
"I'm sorry. I just hate it when people don't stand up for themselves. So, why won't you go to the Ministry?"  
  
"Its lots of things, really. I mean, the Ministry don't like werewolves. Most Ministry officials still wish that the regulations with werewolves were the same as they were fifty years ago." He shuddered a little.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, before some laws were changed, a werewolf could be executed for no reason. Just for being a werewolf." he sighed.  
  
"That's horrible!" Cassie gasped. "I mean, that's really awful. What kind of evil, sick person could pass a law like that. Or who would want to kil- er, carry out the execution." She tried to be more tactful than before.  
  
"It still happens today, Cassie.' he said, slowly. "though of course since the laws were changed, they can only do that if the werewolf has killed or attacked someone." Cassie shuddered. Then Remus continued speaking. "I know, it seems so unfair that people like that are classed as humans, and I'm not. Things are a little better these days, though the Ministry still really have it in for Werewolves." he sighed again. and Cassie noticed that he was rubbing the back of his neck, obviously thinking about execution. She felt even more sorry for him, and tears started welling up in her eyes. Remus put his arm around her.  
  
"It's OK." she said, pulling away from him, and wiping her eyes on her jacket sleeve. "Oh no!" she grinned. "Now you've got me saying it!" They both laughed.  
  
"Er, um, Cassie.?" began Remus nervously.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I, ah, wondered if you wanted to, um, go out with me sometime." He ended the sentence very quickly, as if he wanted to get it over and done with.  
  
"What?!" she coughed.  
  
"I.nothing. Forget it." He said, looking disappointed.  
  
"You want to go out with [i]me[/i]?"  
  
"Sorry, it was stupid of me to think that you might even consider. I mean, I'm lucky that you don't hate me for what I am, but to expect someone could actually love someone like me, who isn't completely human. Sorry, now I'm rambling on totally. Just forget I ever said it."  
  
"Remus!" Cassie rolled her eyes. "I said I don't like it when people don't stick up for themselves. Don't pull yourself down like that. I was just surprised that you asked me, that's all." Remus looked up, hopeful. "Of course I'll go out with you. You're wonderful, you're a great friend, good looking, funny. Anyway, anyone who can't accept that you're a werewolf isn't worth bothering with."  
  
She leaned across and kissed him on the lips. 


	3. Chapter Three

1 year later:  
  
"James is late," remarked Joanna Prewitt.  
  
"Probably distracted by his lovely wife." sniggered Sirius playfully. James rushed in, beaming all over his face.  
  
"Lily's pregnant." he announced.  
  
"What did I tell you?" joked Sirius, standing up, and clapping James on the back, maybe a little to vigorously. "Congratulations!"  
  
"Looks like he, or she will be in the same year at Hogwarts as our child." said Jenny Bones, smiling. The Bones' baby was due in March.  
  
Everyone was congratulating James, and of course Cassie and Remus joined in, though they couldn't help feeling a bit sad. Remus had hoped that they would be able get married, and live as normal a life as is possible for a werewolf. Of course, because of Cassie's official non-existence, they hadn't able to get married, and they had decided it would be best not to have any children. This was partly because they didn't know if lycanthropy was hereditary, and also, because they knew it would be hard for a child who's father was a werewolf, and mother didn't officially exist. Especially seeing as they both had very risky jobs, and could be killed. The McKinnons had been murdered by Voldemort in January.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Snape!" exclaimed Cassie as she came across the familiar face of her old enemy from school. After a moment of standing, staring at her, looking very confused, Snape organised himself, and scowled.  
  
"Gibson?" he questioned, his sneering tone not quite disguising the curious note in his voice.  
  
"Uh huh." She smiled determinedly. "Let me guess, you thought you'd got rid of me forever?" She guessed that Snape was probably one of the Death Eaters that they were after, so she quickly froze him with an Impediment Jinx. Then she grabbed him by the arm, and apparated to a meeting place, where Dumbledore was waiting. When everyone else arrived Dumbledore said he wanted to speak to Snape alone.  
  
At the next meeting of the Order of the Phoenix, Sirius opened the door, then jumped back in alarm when he saw who was there.  
  
"Snape! No way! Bye bye, I'm gone, we're dooooooooomed!"  
  
"Stop overreacting, Sirius. Let's find out what's going on before we start on the path of doom." James said impatiently. "OK, so what's he doing here?"  
  
"None of your business, Potter." sneered Snape. Sirius started walking towards him, looking like he was going to fight him.  
  
"Sirius, James, calm down. Severus is here as one of us. He is," Dumbledore hesitated, "A member of the Order of the Phoenix, our spy."  
  
"You're joking!" said Sirius. "He's a Death Eater. he'll be spying on us, for Voldemort!"  
  
"I was a Death Eater." said Snape firmly. "And I can't say that I relish the thought of having to work with you, but anything's got to be better than the 'people' I was expected to associate with in Lord Voldemort's service."  
  
Remus stood up, and spoke. "As much as I," he searched around for the right word, which would describe the situation, without causing too much offence, "Dislike Snape, I of all people know you must not judge people by their background and past. I know some people wouldn't trust me, because of my Lycanthropy. If being a so called 'Dark Creature' doesn't affect your opinion of me, you should try to accept Snape." He sat down. Snape looked astonished, but relieved, and Dumbledore smiled and nodded at Remus.  
  
The atmosphere in the room was still tense, until James spoke. "OK, Remus is right, although he is different to Snape. Remus can't help what he is, but Snape chose his path. I'm going to have to accept Dumbledore's decision. I'll try to work with him, but I can't trust him." He glared at Snape.  
  
James had always been the leader of his group of friends, so Sirius backed down, and they stopped arguing. None of them spoke to Snape at all, unless it was 100% necessary.  
  
Jenny and Robert Bones were killed in June, when their daughter, Susan, was only a few months old. Luckily, she had been at her grandparent's house that day, so she was not killed. Her grandparents took her in, but all the time they feared that Voldemort would want them and Susan too.  
  
Lily and James's child was born on the 31st July. It was a boy, who looked almost exactly like baby photos of James. Sirius had joked he was surprised the baby hadn't been born wearing glasses. The only notable difference between James and his son was the eyes. James had large brown eyes, but Harry had Lily's eyes, which were even larger, and a brilliant shade of emerald green. They named him Harry, and all their friends adored him, except perhaps Peter Pettigrew, one of James's friends, who looked nervous and guilty when he was around Harry. He obviously didn't like children. 


	4. Chapter Four

A house elf answered the door. They never had a house elf before thought Cassandra. She had know idea why she was doing this. She had a vague theory that it was something to do with her job-that because it was so risky, and they could be killed any day, she wanted to let people know that she existed. Still, surely a letter would have done. And besides, she didn't think she was particularly afraid. She was hardly aware, most of the time, that what they were doing was so very dangerous.  
  
"What is your name miss?" Asked the house elf politely.  
  
"Cassandra Gibson." She said. The house elf's eyes grew even larger than before.  
  
"Then you is the daughter of my master and mistress!" He or she gasped incredulously. "I is hearing them talk in the village, but I is never thinking I is seeing you, and I is never asking he master.. Oh no, good elves is never asking quest_"  
  
"No." Cassie said sharply. "I am not your master's daughter." She paused, and looked at the confused house elf. "But he is my step-father. Please can I see my mother?"  
  
"Yes miss." Replied the house elf. "I is showing you through."  
  
Cassie and Remus were shown into the living room, where her mother and step- father were sitting. "It is your daughter who is here to see you." Announced the house elf, and left quickly. Cassandra's mother turned around and gasped, and her step-father frowned.  
  
"Cassie?" queried her mother, then when she was sure, she leapt up from her armchair and hugged her. "Where have you been?" Cassie filled her in briefly on the last 6 years, omitting things that she thought would worry her. Remus sat in the corner, quietly, until she mentioned him. "And this is my boyfriend." Cassie said, immediately drawing attention to Remus.  
  
"What's your name then?" asked Cassie's step father, and he was obviously hoping to get into a conversation with Remus, and tell him all Cassie's faults.  
  
"Remus Lupin." Remus replied, and suddenly Cassie's stepfather looked angrier than before.  
  
"A werewolf!" he choked. Three people gasped. Cassie gasped, wondering what they would say, he mother, wondering if this was true, and Remus, who wondered how he knew, and if he would ever be free of people's prejudices.  
  
"This isn't true, is it?" Asked Cassie's mother, glancing from Cassie to Remus nervously. Remus bowed his head, but after a moment of dead silence, Cassie did exactly the opposite. She stood up, and held her head up.  
  
"Do you have a problem with that?" She addressed the question to her mother, because for one thing, she knew that her stepfather WOULD have a problem with it, and because she knew how he knew. She had forgotten before, that he worked at the Werewolf Registry.  
  
"Well, werewolves are very. dangerous, dear." Suggested Cassie's mum. "And appearances can be deceptive, remember, just because he looks human."  
  
"Goodbye mother." Cassie said formally, ignoring her stepfather once again. Then she took Remus's hand, and hurried out of the house before she started crying.  
  
The next week Cassie received a letter from her mum.]Dear Cassie, It said. I was delighted to see you again last week, and know that you're alive and well, but I am a bit worried about that werewolf boyfriend of yours. Be careful around him, especially towards the full moon, and I hope you will see sense and stop seeing him, soon. It would be lovely to see you again someday soon, on your own.  
  
Love from, Your mother.  
  
Cassie hurriedly wrote a note back. She always acted quickly and hastily when she was angry. She generally regretted it afterwards, but this time she didn't care. She was fed up of prejudices. What did everyone have against werewolves anyway? ]Dear Mother, I never meant for you to find out about Remus's lycanthropy, and I had forgotten about your husbands job (surely he should retire soon). Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that Remus is the most important person in my life, and that whatever you think, I love him. To me, that's more important than him being a werewolf, so it should be good enough for you. It's only one night a month. Oh, and for your information, Remus and I have been living together for over a year, and he has never done anything violent, except at the full moon, perhaps, when I don't know what goes on. He would never intentionally hurt me or anyone. After our last meeting I can honestly say that I don't have any wish to meet you in the near future. Yours sincerely Cassandra.  
  
She didn't receive a reply.  
  
In mid-January the Prewetts were also murdered by Voldemort. All the members of the Order were terrified, except perhaps Dumbledore. However, they were mostly of Gryffindor lineage, and were the bravest of their kind. They would face whatever they came across with courage, and yes, they feared death, it would be unnatural not to be afraid, but they would still die, rather than betray the Order. These remaining members of the Order were Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher, Sirius Black, James Potter, and naturally Cassandra Gibson and Remus Lupin.  
  
James and his wife, Lily had spoken with Dumbledore and decided that they would go into hiding. It was the safest thing for them and Harry. They knew that Voldemort would want to kill them, as James's family was directly descended from Godric Gryffindor, and Voldemort from his rival and enemy, Salazaar Slytherin. The Order all knew how they were to be concealed, using the Fidelius charm, and though it was not revealed, they guessed that the Secret Keeper would be Sirius. Their suspicions were confirmed early in the next month, when Lily, James, Harry and Sirius disappeared. Sirius did surface occasionally, and attend a few meetings, but mostly he kept a low profile.  
  
The next few months were quite hard for Remus. Though he was always with Cassie, he missed his friends a lot. He had always been very close to James and Sirius, as they were the first people in his life who accepted him. He occasionally saw Peter Pettigrew, but they had never been as close. Remus had never liked Peter as much, from the days when his friends had first discovered what he was, and at first Peter had been scared of Remus. Also, because Peter wasn't a member of the Order of the Phoenix, Remus wasn't able to talk to him much about the Order.  
  
The 31st July should have been a celebration, if there was anyone to celebrate with. It was Harry Potter's birthday. Remus and Cassie sent a present to him, and got a brief reply from Lily and James, thanking them, hoping they were well, and saying how much they missed their friends. Cassie and Remus were far from satisfied with this response, but it was better than nothing. Apart from this, they hadn't heard from them since February. 


	5. Chapter Five

Time passed by slowly, and despite all the war and adventure that they were in the heart of, they found it boring and unchanging. Hundreds of wizards and muggles were murdered during the next month or so, but it wasn't until the 13th September that a death occurred that affected all members of the Order at once.  
  
The 13th of September was the full moon. As the sun set, Remus prepared for the transformation. Before the moon rose, Cassie kissed him, and he smiled sadly, before descending the stairs into the cellar of their house. Cassie locked and bolted the door at the top of the stairs. She hated doing that. Then she performed a charm which would make the cellar soundproof. They obviously didn't want the neighbours to find out about Remus's 'condition' as some call it. Besides, it would make it hard for Cassie to sleep, Remus said. He didn't know that she never slept at the full moon. Even with the cellar locked and charmed, she could never sleep. Instead she would sit and read, occasionally dosing off, but never for long.  
  
She settled down in an armchair, with a book, and a glass of wine. She was used to this monthly routine of staying awake. She always made up for her sleep before and afterwards.  
  
She jumped, and almost spilled her wine. She thought she had heard the door creak. She couldn't imagine who it could be, at this time. She sighed, and carried on reading. Maybe it was just her imagination. She did get scared at the full moon. Although she knew werewolves were not to blame for their actions, after seeing how it had affected Remus's life, she was terrified of one day being bitten.  
  
She stood up, hearing light footsteps in the hallway. the door was open a tiny bit, and she peered through the gap. She started back when she saw who was advancing towards the door. It was Voldemort. She grabbed her wand from the nearby table, and pointed it towards the door. She was petrified, but she was one of the Order-she'd been trained for this. Use of Unforgivables was allowed on Death Eaters, so she prepared to use the worst dark curse she had learned in her training.  
  
The door creaked open. "A.avada Kedav-" Her clumsily muttered curse was suddenly cut off, as her opponent whispered the very same words, so quiet that it was virtually inaudible. A blinding green light flashed through the house, as Cassie tumbled to the ground, landing with a dull thud. The visitor left, shooting a huge symbol of a skull and snake into the sky above the house before he disapparated.  
  
Mundungus Fletcher was sent to the house, as soon as Dumbledore got news that the Dark Mark had been seen above the residence of Remus Lupin and Cassandra Gibson. Sirius Black would have volunteered for the job, as he had been around a lot more than usual in the past week or two, but Dumbledore knew how close he was.or had been to Remus, and didn't want him to see first. So it was Mundungus who opened the front door of the house, leaving it propped open carefully. He didn't fancy being shut in this house, alone after what he assumed ad happened there.  
  
It was still a little dark, but getting lighter all the time as he walked down the hall into the living room. Cassie's body was lying on the floor in front of the table, her wand nearby, and her reddish hair all over her face. He didn't check for a pulse, or try to revive her because he knew it wouldn't work. But he didn't know where Remus's body was. He searched the house upstairs and down, and found nobody.  
  
To get out of the house he had to go through the living room again, but when he passed the body again, Cassie wasn't the only one in the room. Remus was there too-and he was alive.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~  
  
He got out of the cellar, covered in scratches and bites, but completely unaware of what had happened. When he entered the living room, he couldn't believe what he had seen. Although he half guessed that she was dead, he tried to believe that she was merely unconscious, or even asleep.  
  
"Cass?" he whispered, gently trying to shake her awake. "Casper?" that was his nickname for her. She didn't wake, even after he had tried various counter curses and revival charms. Realising that it was hopeless, Remus began to sob. To him, it seemed as if he was to blame. He felt guilty just for being alive, when she was not. He was still holding her close to him, and sobbing when Mundungus came back down the stairs.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The next day, although Remus cried a lot, he was a little calmer, and so he decided that he should write a letter to Cassie's mother.  
  
[i]'To Cassandra's mother (I'm afraid I don't know your name)'[/i] He wrote. [i]I am sure that the Ministry of Magic will have contacted you by now, to tell you that Cassie has been killed. However, I felt that I needed to explain to you what had happened, myself. The night before last was the full moon, and as I am a werewolf, I was locked in the cellar, so I wouldn't be able to attack anybody. At some point during the night Voldemort, or one of his minions must have come to our house, and murdered your daughter . I'm sure that if I had been there, they would have killed me too. The Dark Mark was projected over the sky, but I was safe, because I didn't leave the cellar until the morning.  
  
I suppose that you and your husband believe that as a werewolf I am completely devoid of human feelings and emotion, but it is not true. I loved Cassie, and I will always remember and love her. If I had not been bitten by a werewolf as a child, then perhaps I would have been able to do something. If I had been there then the least I would have done would have been to die for her.  
  
The funeral will be on the 21st September. Of course, I understand if you do not want to see me, in which case, I won't attend.  
  
Yours faithfully,  
  
Remus Lupin[/i]  
  
Despite the very formal style of this letter, it was blotched with tears. This was the way Remus acted over the next few weeks. He tried to act as if nothing had happened. Amongst his friends, he acted normally, showing little emotion, or opinion about anything at all. He didn't seem to withdraw from life, he attended all meetings of the Order, and spoke if he was asked to, but he seemed lifeless. His friends didn't understand the way he hid his emotions. They were used to Cassie's blunt outspokenness. She would have said what she felt, and spoken for Remus as well. Their other friends missed Cassie as well, but Remus forgot that, as if he was the only one who had lost her.  
  
Cassie's parents never replied to the letter, and so he assumed that they had no objection to his being at the funeral. They attended, but thankfully, didn't speak to him. He felt that is was his fault, for being a werewolf, for not having been there to try and save her, and he didn't trust himself to speak to her parents, without breaking down. They didn't want to speak to him anyway, or at least Cassie's step-father didn't. However Cassandra's mother kept glancing at him, guiltily, and looked apologetic. In fact, she walked over, and almost spoke, before her husband caught her eye. "Great." He thought. "[i]Now[/i] she decides I have a heart after all- that I'm human. It's a bit late for that now. My heart is broken." He wished that Cassie could see that her mother didn't disapprove of him so much now. Of course, she couldn't. It was her death that had brought about the change.  
  
Remus was surrounded by people, as they left, all looking as if they wanted to speak, then changing their minds, but he felt alone. Normally he was very sensitive to other people's feelings, but he was too sad, and angry with himself, to realise that everyone else felt the way he did, though maybe the pain was less acute for them. He declined Sirius's offer to stay the night, and returned home, alone. 


End file.
